Does the Media Keep Actors in the Closet?

CitizenSugar — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:00:32 -0700

According to several A-List actors, there is a very obvious bias in Hollywood and they say it’s against hiring homosexuals. In an exclusive interview to be released next week, Alan Cumming — one of the stars of X-Men 2 — said that actors are more timid about coming out because of the way the press portrays homosexuality — they fear the controversy. “I don’t think the people that go see films care that much – the media make it more of a deal and it’s made into controversy. There is a lot of homophobia in the world – but in Hollywood definitely.”Stephen Fry and Rupert Everett who have both claimed a homosexual preference also complained that they are now pigeonholed. Derek Munn, director of public affairs for Stonewall, a group that promotes equality and justice for gay people said: “The pitifully low number of openly lesbian or gay actors suggests that there is a problem. The film industry needs to think about why it is gay actors choose not to come out.”Do you think fear of the way the media will portray them causes actors to stay in the closet? Is Hollywood less accepting than the rest of the world? Do you think actors keep their sexuality a secret because it's irrelevant?Source

No way. Tons of actors are out, regardless of media portrayal.

Actors get paid to be other people. Keeping personal details a secret serves that.

Yes! Would the media portray Brad Pitt the same if he was gay? So they hide out.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Critic Says Hollywood Abuses Arab Bogeyman

LibertySugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:00:37 -0700

One critic is getting very critical of Hollywood's portrayal of Arabs and Muslims in film and television. Jack Shaheen, an American of Lebanese decent, told Reuters that in America, where it is politically incorrect to make derogatory comments about other groups like African Americans or Jews, there is no social taboo against reinforcing damaging Arab or Muslim stereotypes.

In his latest book, Guilty, Shaheen says that the an anti-Arab tendency was present before September 11^th. Disney's Aladdin (1992) and Father of the Bride Part II both fail the test. (Remember the Arab guy trying to buy Steve Martin's house?)

But, since September 11^th, the vilifying has picked up. Shaheen writes that
2006's The Kingdom presented some of the most damaging depictions of Arabs in which "even Arab children cannot be trusted." Movies that make the A-list? Shaheen says Babel (2006) and Rendition (2007) presented a more complex view of Arabs.

Do American movies and television shows rely on the "Arab bogeyman"? Why do you think American society tolerates such indiscriminate demonization?

Source

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Does the Media Keep Actors in the Closet?

Critic Says Hollywood Abuses Arab Bogeyman